1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wire harness distribution structure used for electrical connection and furnished to, for example, the door panel or the roof panel of an automobile.
2. Description of the Related Art
An example of the conventional wire harness distribution structures for an automobile is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this example, the wire harness distribution structure is furnished to the front door of an automobile. In general, a door trim 3, which serves as a cover plate, is attached to the surface 2a of the inner panel 2 of the front door 1 of an automobile.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2(a), a multi-point junction box 5 with a circuit branching function is fitted into the recess 2b formed near the door hinge (not shown), that is, at the left end of an inner panel 2 shown in FIG. 1. The junction box 5 is held in the recess 2b by a rubber seal 4. The conventional junction box 5 has a female connector 5a formed in a side face, and a main connector 5b formed at the leading end. The main connector 5b receives a connector (not shown) provided to the car body. A wire harness 6 extends from the trailing end of the multi-point junction box 5. The wire harness 6 branches off toward a power window motor P, a remote control mirror motor R, and a speaker S positioned at the right end, the top left, and the bottom left of the inner panel 2, respectively.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2(b), a connector 8 is fitted into a recess 3b positioned at the right end of the inner face 3a of the door trim 3. The connector 8 projects from the inner face 3a of the door trim 3 so as to be received by the female connector 5a formed in the side face of the junction box 5 when the door trim 3 is attached to the inner panel 2. The connector 8 is also held by the rubber support 7. Another wire harness 9 extends from the roots of the connector 8 along the inner face of the door trim 3. The wire harness 9 branches off toward a power-window switch PS and a courtesy lamp C positioned at the top and bottom, respectively, of the door trim 3.
To install the wire harnesses 6 and 9 into the front door 1, the wire harness 6 is arranged on the surface 2a of the inner panel 2, and the wire harness 9 is furnished to the inner face 3a of the door trim 3. Assemble of the wire harnesses 6 into the inner panel 2 and assemble of the wire harness 9 into the door trim 3 are carried out independently of each other. Then, the door trim 3, to which the wire harness 9 is furnished, is fixed to the inner panel 2, on which the wire harness 6 is arranged.
A similar technique relating to the door wire harness distribution structure stated above is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 61-9111.
However, the conventional door wire harness distribution structure requires two independent steps of providing the wire harnesses 6 and 9 to the surface 2a of the inner panel 2 and to the inner face 3a of the door trim 3, respectively. For this reason, installation and assembling the wire harness takes much labor, and requires skill. In addition, the wire harnesses 6 and 9 themselves must be branched off to be connected to the electric equipment P, R, S, and to PS and C, respectively. This causes the manufacturing cost to increase. Furthermore, the branching configuration of the wire harness must be changed depending on the types of automobiles, which further causes the installation process complicated. Accordingly, an improved wire harness structure common to various types and makes of vehicles has been desired.
The present invention was conceived in order to overcome these problems in the prior art, and it is an object of the invention to provide an improved wire harness distribution structure which can simplify the assembling process, while reducing the manufacturing cost.
It is another object of the invention to provide a wire harness distribution structure, which can be used in common among various makes and types of vehicles.
To achieve the objects, a wire harness distribution structure for a vehicle includes a multi-point junction box positioned at one end of a body panel of the vehicle, and two or more electric devices furnished to the other end of the body panel. Two or more distribution belts extend in the radial direction from the multi-point junction box toward the electric devices. The multi-point junction box has two or more branch connectors, and each of the electric devices has a connector facing the associated branch connector of the multi-point junction box. Each distribution belt comprises a wire harness and two connectors attached to both ends of the wire harness.
One of the connector of the distribution belt is connected to the connector of the electric device, and the other connector of the distribution belt is connected to one of the branch connectors of the multi-point junction box.
The wire harness distribution structure is furnished simply to the body panel, and does not require a counterpart distribution structure on an inner panel or trim. Accordingly, an overall process for installing of the wire harness distribution structure to the vehicle is simplified. With this arrangement, it is unnecessary to make the wire harness itself branched off at a plurality of points. Each electric device is connected to the multi-point junction box using a corresponding distribution belt at a shortest path. Accordingly, the installation process is further simplified. This distribution belt can be used in common among various makes of cars because the wire harness itself does not have to be branched out.
Preferably, the wire harness is a flat cable made of a plurality of electric wires thermally bonded to each other into a single unit.
The distribution belt can be mass-produced as an auxiliary component for the electric devices. It is unnecessary to change the configuration of the wire harness in accordance with the makes and types of vehicles, which can further reduce the manufacturing cost.
Preferably, an electronic control unit is accommodated in the multi-point junction box, and each branch connector of the junction box is connected to the electronic control unit. This arrangement enables the electric devices to be controlled intensively by a simple operation of the control unit.